Daily Driver, Go Where I Want To Build

Made it home. The diff cracks and clunks on turns. Freeway on ramps and backing up into my parking spot were very noisy.

Looking at ARBs right now.
If the prices are accurate that I am seeing, the NIB 33 spline that I have won't be much help since I have as much in it as they sell for online and then it has to be shipped. I bought it several years ago for 850 when the regular 30 spline version was well over a grand thinking that was a good deal. It wasn't as good as I thought apparently.
 
If the prices are accurate that I am seeing, the NIB 33 spline that I have won't be much help since I have as much in it as they sell for online and then it has to be shipped. I bought it several years ago for 850 when the regular 30 spline version was well over a grand thinking that was a good deal. It wasn't as good as I thought apparently.

New shafts and a new locker are more than I want to swing. It's going to be 30 spline and I'll keep the Superior shafts.

If I go ARB, it will be the rd117 with my existing thick cut gears. I'm looking at the Eaton e locker one last time.
 
This locker problem is sidelining my plans for getting the Foxes re-tuned and the fronts installed. But I was able to do a little experiment yesterday, hoping to get a fresh perspective.

My current pair of Foxes in the rear have an 8 point compression adjuster. When I installed these a couple years ago, I played with the adjusters but only around town. I settled on 1-2 which are the softest settings. Yesterday I cranked them up to 8 and drove the 2 hours each way to the trail and the trail itself in the hardest setting.

I'm mad at myself for not doing and not focusing on this earlier. The highway ride was great. It was good before, but this is better. Body roll was noticably reduced. On the trail, I noticed that the movements during articulation were dramatically more calm and controlled. This difference is similar to the difference between a disconnected front sway bar and an Antirock (and specifically a tighter set Antirock). And this is only with the rear pair.

All four corners being this controlled can only be an improvement. Brake dive will decrease and body roll will diminish even more. Rock crawling and articulating will be even more calm and controlled.

When I got back into town, I was able to feel an increase in the small event road noise compared to what I am used to with the soft settings. In my case, I will need to settle for some kind of comprise between the high speed and low speed control.

My take away from this is that I dramatically changed the ride simply by changing the shocks and leaving everything else the same. Shocks certainly do matter for rock crawling and the control of movement just like sway bars matter. The DSC shocks that Blaine, Tox and others are using may be an ultimate solution for this type of build that spends time on the street, highway, rocks and rough unpaved roads.
 
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This locker problem is sidelining my plans for getting the Foxes re-tuned and the fronts installed. But I was able to do a little experiment yesterday, hoping to get a fresh perspective.

My current pair of Foxes in the rear have an 8 point compression adjuster. When I installed these a couple years ago, I played with the adjusters but only around town. I settled on 1-2 which are the softest settings. Yesterday I cranked them up to 8 and drove the 2 hours each way to the trail and the trail itself in the hardest setting.

I'm mad at myself for not doing and not focusing on this earlier. The highway ride was great. It was good before, but this is better. Body roll was noticably reduced. On the trail, I noticed that the movements during articulation were dramatically more calm and controlled. This difference is similar to the difference between a disconnected front sway bar and an Antirock (and specifically a tighter set Antirock). And this is only with the rear pair.

All four corners being this controlled can only be an improvement. Brake dive will decrease and body roll will diminish even more. Rock crawling and articulating will be even more calm and controlled.

When I got back into town, I was able to feel an increase in the small event road noise compared to what I am used to with the soft settings. In my case, I will need to settle for some kind of comprise between the high speed and low speed control.

My take away from this is that I dramatically changed the ride simply by changing the shocks and leaving everything else the same. Shocks certainly do matter for rock crawling and the control of movement just like sway bars matter. The DSC shocks that Blaine, Tox and others are using may be an ultimate solution for this type of build that spends time on the street, highway, rocks and rough unpaved roads.

Good post. Don't you have to custom build to get a DSC in a 2.0 shock though? I'm guessing it will be pretty expensive.
 
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Why do you need thick cut gears? I thought the break was 3.92 and up?

The Rubicon uses thick cut 4.10 gears on its 3.73 and down lockers. I have thick cut 4.88s in there now and will be reusing them. That requires the 3.73 and down ARB. It's tricky.

If I were doing a fresh setup, I could use the rd116 and standard cut gears.
 
He has a Rubicon. I also have thick cut 4.88s.

I guess that is where I'm confused. When I re-geared 3 years ago, I had to get a thick cut gear in order to use my Traclok carrier, as the break is 3.92 and higher for my carrier.
 
Good post. Don't you have to custom build to get a DSC in a 2.0 shock though? I'm guessing it will be pretty expensive.
That's my understanding. 2.0 body with a larger shaft and end caps, plus the fancy reservoir.
 
I guess that is where I'm confused. When I re-geared 3 years ago, I had to get a thick cut gear in order to use my Traclok carrier, as the break is 3.92 and higher for my carrier.

I might be off of the specific break. I just know I'm well above it and any normal regear on the factory lockers uses thick cut. Unless you're Canadian and do things backwards...
 
I guess that is where I'm confused. When I re-geared 3 years ago, I had to get a thick cut gear in order to use my Traclok carrier, as the break is 3.92 and higher for my carrier.

Both the TJ and LJ Rubicon D44s came with thick cut 4.10 gears from the factory. Most, if not all, replacement options for the Rubicon are also thick cut unless you change the carrier. Not sure if that will work with the factory locker.
 
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I remember looking into this when I was trying to wrap my head with the vibrations post regear. At that time, I was wondering if thin cut vs thick cut could somehow make a difference.
 
I remember looking into this when I was trying to wrap my head with the vibrations post regear. At that time, I was wondering if thin cut vs thick cut could somehow make a difference.

Somewhere I read that there can be vibration or harmonic issues with the heavier thick cut ring gear. I don't know how common that really is.
 
Both the TJ and LJ Rubicon D44s came with thick cut 4.10 gears from the factory. Most, if not all, replacement options for the Rubicon are also thick cut unless you change the carrier. Not sure if that will work with the factory locker.

If the regear reuses the factory locker, then thick cut is required.

If the new carrier reuses the existing thick cut gears, then the smaller carrier is required.

If both the gears and carrier are new, then standard cut gears with the appropriate carrier can be used.

My thick cut rear gears will be a legacy of the Rubicon locker. Someday when I replace the front with an ARB, I hope it will be along with a full 5.13 regear, in which case the front will get the rd116 with standard gears and the rear would get thick cut gears. Confusing? :)
 
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Somewhere I read that there can be vibration or harmonic issues with the heavier thick cut ring gear. I don't know how common that really is.

I really tried my best to do pursue that line of thought. Could not find anything concrete one way or the other.